Der Kampf um das verbleibende Öl hat bereits begonnen, wie Paul Roberts in "The End of Oil" ausführt...

Weiter unter:
http://www.telepolis.de/tp/deutsch/special/zen/17538/1.html

Aggressive Verhörtechniken werden in der US-Armee seit Jahrzehnten gelehrt - die Folterbilder aus Irak erinnern beispielsweise an die Anleitung des "Kubark-Handbuchs" von 1963...

Weiter unter:
http://www.telepolis.de/tp/deutsch/inhalt/co/17553/1.html

http://www.stopexecutionsinmaryland.org/


Informant: Ashley Smith

I am very glad to have this time to send a message to you. We are celebrating a time in our history which is both filled with joy and sadness. I am very glad that our Hindu brothers have given us this opportunity to share these feelings with you because we know many of you are having the same troubles.

We Hopi believe that the human race has passed through three different worlds and life ways since the beginning. At the end of each prior world, human life has been purified or punished by the Great Spirit "Massauu" due mainly to corruption, greed and turning away from the Great Spirit's teachings. The last great destruction was the flood which destroyed all but a few faithful ones who asked and received a permission from the Great Spirit to live with Him in this new land. The Great Spirit said, "It is up to you, if you are willing to live my poor, humble and simple life way. It is hard but if you agree to live according to my teachings and instructions, if you never lose faith in the life I shall give you, you may come and live with me." The Hopi and all who were saved from the great flood made a sacred covenant with the Great Spirit at that time. We Hopi made an oath that we will never turn away from Him. For us the Creators laws never change or break down.

To the Hopi the Great Spirit is all powerful. He appeared to the first people as a man and talked with them in the beginning of this creation world. He taught us how to live, to worship, where to go and what food to carry, gave us seeds to plant and harvest. He gave us a set of sacred stone tablets into which He breathed all teachings in order to safeguard his land and life. In these stone tablets were made, instructions and prophecies and warnings. This was done with the help of a Spider woman and Her two grandsons. They were wise and powerful helpers of the Great Spirit.

Before the Great Spirit went into hiding, He and Spider woman put before the leaders of the different groups of people many colors and sized of corn for them to choose their food in this world. The Hopi was the last to pick and then choose their food in this world. The Hopi then choose the smallest ear of corn. Then Massauu said, "You have shown me you are wise and humble for this reason you will be called Hopi (people of peace) and I will place in your authority all land and life to guard, protect and hold trust for Me until I return to you in later days for I am the First and the Last."

This why when a Hopi is ordained into the higher religious order, the earth and all living things are placed upon his hands. He becomes a parent to all life on earth. He is entitled to advise and correct his children in whatever peaceful way he can. So we can never give up knowing that our message of peace will reach our children. Then it is together with the other spiritual leaders the destiny of our future children is placed. We are instructed to hold this world in balance within the land and the many universes with special prayers and ritual which continue to this day.

It was to the Spider woman's two grandsons the sacred stone tablets were given. These two brothers were then instructed to carry them to a place the Great Spirit had instructed them. The older brother was to go immediately to the east, to the rising sun and upon reaching his destination was instructed to immediately start to look for his younger brother who shall remain in the land of the Great Spirit. The Older brothers mission when he returned was to help his younger brother (Hopi) bring obout peace, brotherhood and everlasting life on his return.

Hopi, the younger brother, was instructed to cover all land and mark it well with footprints and sacred markings to claim this land for the Creator and peace on earth. We established our ceremonials and sacred shrines to hold this world in balance in accordance with our first promise to the Creator. This is how our migration story goes, until we meet the Creator at Old Oribe (place that solidifies) over 1000 years ago. It was at that meeting when he gave to us these prophecies to give to you now at this closing of the Fourth World of destruction and the beginning of the Fifth World of peace. He gave us many prophecies to pass on to you and all have come to pass. This is how we know the timing is now to reveal the last warnings and instructions to mankind.

We were told to settle permanently here in Hopi land where we met the Great Spirit and wait for Older Brother who went east to return to us. When he returns to this land he will place his stone tablets side by side to show all the world that they are our true brothers. When the road in the sky has been fulfilled and when the inventing of something, in Hopi means, gourd of ashes, a gourd that when drops upon the earth will boil everything within a large space and nothing will grow for a very long time. When the leaders turned to evil ways instead of the Great Spirit we were told there would be many ways this life may be destroyed. If human kind does not heed our prophecy and return to ones original spiritual instructions. We were told of three helpers who were commissioned by the Great Spirit to help Hopi bring about the peaceful life on earth would appear to help us and we should not change our homes, our ceremonials, our hair, because the true helpers might not recognize us as the true Hopi. So we have been waiting all these years.

It is known that our True White Brother, when he comes, will be all powerful and will wear a red cap or red cloak. He will be large in population, belong to no religion but his very own. He will bring with him the sacred stone tablets. With him there will be two great ones both very wise and powerful. One will have a symbol or sign of swastika which represents purity and is Female, a producer of life. The third one or the second one of the two helpers to our True White Brother will have a sign of a symbol of the sun. He, too, will be many people and very wise and powerful. We have in our sacred Kachina ceremonies a gourd rattle which is still in use today with these symbols of these powerful helpers of our True Brother.

It is also prophesied that if these three fail to fulfill their mission then the one from the west will come like a big storm. He will be many, in numbers and unmerciful. When he comes he will cover the land like the red ants and over take this land in one day. If the three helpers chosen by the Creator fulfill their sacred mission and even if there are only one, two or three of the true Hopi remaining holding fast to the last ancient teaching and instructions the Great Spirit, Massauu will appear before all and our would will be saved. The three will lay our a new life plan which leads to everlasting life and peace. The earth will become new as it was from the beginning. Flowers will bloom again, wild games will return to barren lands and there will be abundance of food for all. Those who are saved will share everything equally and they all will recognize Great Spirit and speak one language.

We are now faced with great problems, not only here but throughout the land. Ancient cultures are being annihilated. Our people's lands are being taken from them, leaving them no place to call their own. Why is this happening? It is happening because many have given up or manipulated their original spiritual teachings. The way of life which the Great Spirit has given to all its people of the world, whatever your original instructions are not being honored. It is because of this great sickness-called greed, which infects every land and country that simple people are losing what they have kept for thousands of years.

Now we are at the very end of our trail. Many people no longer recognize the true path of the Great Spirit. They have, in fact, no respect for the Great Spirit or for our precious Mother Earth, who gives us all life.

We are instructed in our ancient prophecy that this would occur. We were told that someone would try to go up to the moon: that they would bring something back from the moon; and that after that, nature would show signs of losing its balance. Now we see that coming about. All over the world there are now many signs that nature is no longer in balance. Floods, drought, earthquakes, and great storms are occurring and causing much suffering. We do not want this to occur in our country and we pray to the Great Spirit to save us from such things. But there are now signs that this very same thing might happen very soon on our own land.

Now we must look upon each other as brothers and sisters. There is no more time for divisions between people. Today I call upon all of us, from right here at home, Hotevilla, where we to are guilty of gossiping and causing divisions even among our own families; out to the entire world where thievery, war and lying goes on every day. These divisions will not be our salvation. Wars only bring more wars never peace. Only by joining together in a Spiritual Peace with love in our hearts for one another, love in our hearts for the Great Spirit and Mother Earth, shall we be saved from the terrible Purification Day which is just ahead.

There are many of you in this world who are honest people. We know you spiritually for we are the "Men's Society Grandfathers" who have been charged to pray for you and all life on earth never forgetting anything or any one in our ceremonials. Our prayer is to have a good happy life, plenty of soft gentle rain for abundant crops. We pray for balance on earth to live in peace and leave a beautiful world to the children yet to come. We know you have good hearts but good hearts are not enough to help us out with these great problems. In the past some of you have tried to help us Hopis, and we will always be thankful for you efforts. But now we need your help in the worst way. We want the people of the world to know the truth of our situation.

This land which people call the Land of the Freedom celebrates many days reminding people of the world of these things. Yet in well over 200 years the original Americans have not seen a free day. We are suffering the final insult. Our people are now losing the one thing which give life and meaning of life--our ceremonial land, which is being taken away from us. Hotevilla is the last holy consecrated, undisturbed traditional Native American sacred shrine to the Creator. As the prophecy says, this sacred shrine must keep its spiritual pathways open. This village is the spiritual vortex for the Hopi to guide the many awakening Native Americans and other true hearts home to their own unique culture. Hotevilla was established by the last remaining spiritual elders to maintain peace and balance on this continent from the tip of South America up to Alaska. Many of our friends say Hotevilla is a sacred shrine, a national and world treasure and must be preserved. We need your help.

Where is the freedom which you all fight for and sacrifice your children for? Is it only the Indian people who have lost or are all Americans losing the very thing which you original came here to find? We don't share the freedom of the press because what gets into the papers is what the government wants people to believe, not what is really happening. We have no freedom of speech, because we are persecuted by our own people for speaking our beliefs.

We are at the final stages now and there is a last force that is about to take away our remaining homeland. We are still being denied many things including the rite to be Hopis and to make our living in accordance with our religious teachings. The Hopi leaders have warned leaders in the White House and the leaders in the Glass House but they do not listen. So as our prophecy says then it must be up to the people with good pure hearts that will not be afraid to help us to fulfill our destiny in peace for this world. We now stand at a cross road whether to lead ourselves in everlasting life or total destruction. We believe that human beings spiritual power through prayer is so strong it decides life on earth.

So many people have come to Hopiland to meet with us. Some of you we have met on your lands. Many times people have asked how they can help us. Now I hope and pray that your help will come. If you have a way to spread the truth, through the newspapers, radio, books, thought meeting with powerful people, tell the truth! Tell them what you know to be true. Tell them what you have seen here; what you have heard us say; what you have seen with your own eyes. In this way, if we do fall, let it be said that we tried, right up to the end, to hold fast to the path of peace as we were originally instructed to do by the Great Spirit. Should you really succeed, we will all realize our mistakes of the past and return to the true path-living in harmony as brothers and sisters, sharing our mother, the earth with all other living creatures. In this way we could bring about a new world. A world which would be led by the great Spirit and our mother will provide plenty and happiness for all.

God bless you, each one of you and know our prayers for peace meet yours as the sun rises and sets. May the Great Spirit guide you safely into the path of love, peace freedom and God on this Earth Mother. May the holy ancestors of love and light keep you safe in your land and homes. Pray for God to give you something important to do in this great work which lies ahead of us all to bring peace on earth. We the Hopi still hold the sacred stone tablets and now await the coming of our True White Brother and others seriously ready to work for the Creator's peace on earth.

Be well, my children, and think good thoughts of peace and togetherness. Peace for all life on earth and peace with one another in our homes, families and countries. We are not so different in the Creator's eyes. The same great Father Sun shines his love on each of us daily just as Mother Earth prepares the sustance for our table, do they not? We are one after all.

Chief Dan Evehema, (105) Spiritual leader, Eldest Elder Greeswood / Roadrunner Clan Society Father / Snake Priest / Kachina Father.

From Hotevilla, Arizona, Hopi Sovereign Nation.

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/Resources/Hopi/dan's_message.html


Informant: Linda

Published on Monday, May 31, 2004 by CommonDreams.org

The Time to Choose is Now

by Paul Cienfuegos

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0531-11.htm


Informant: Teresa Binstock

Monday, May 31, 2004

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/175726_forest31.html

WASHINGTON -- Environmentalists are suing the Bush administration, objecting to recent changes in the Northwest Forest Plan that they say endanger salmon and clean water.

The suit, filed in federal court in Seattle last week, follows a suit filed last month objecting to a change in the forest plan that eased curbs on logging of old-growth forests.

The administration announced the new rules in March. One change relaxes a rule requiring that forest managers look for rare plants and animals before logging; the other allows agencies to meet clean-water goals on a broad basis rather than on individual projects.

Administration officials say most old-growth forest in the region remains protected. The new rules also preserve clean water and allow sufficient habitat for old-growth species, said Rex Holloway, a spokesman for the Forest Service.

Environmentalists have decried the changes, saying they would double logging on federal land in Washington, Oregon and Northern California, and have disastrous consequences for rare species.

Last month, the Western Environmental Law Center challenged so-called survey-and-manage rules that govern old-growth forests.

© 1998-2004 Seattle Post-Intelligencer


Informant: Teresa Binstock

http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/000760.html


Informant: NHNE

By ALFRED W. McCOY

The photos from Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison are snapshots, not of simple brutality or a breakdown in discipline, but of CIA torture techniques that have metastasized, over the past 50 years, like an undetected cancer inside the US intelligence community.

From 1950 to 1962, the CIA led massive, secret research into coercion and consciousness that reached a billion dollars at peak. After experiments with hallucinogenic drugs, electric shocks, and sensory deprivation, this CIA research produced a new method of torture that was psychological, not physical--best described as "no touch torture."

Read further under:
http://www.counterpunch.org/mccoy05292004.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Iraq

"Everyone in the company from the commander down" knew what was going on in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, said Lyndie England, an American soldier, famed by her villainous photo appearances, laughing and smoking beside naked male Iraqis.

According to a Los Angeles Times report, citing soldiers' testimonies, the CIA, military intelligence and army commanders were all involved in the making of the Abu Ghraib torture gala. Sgt. Javal Davis, one of the seven members of the 372nd Military Police Company -- one of the few designated scapegoats for the crime of torture of Iraqi prisoners -- described the death of an Iraqi man, interrogated with a sandbag covering his head. "He wasn't dead at first. We didn't know how much he was injured. He went into the showers -- where prisoners were stripped naked and shackled into the wall -- and about an hour later he died on them. After he passed [away], the sandbag was removed and I saw he was severely beaten on his face." And while England's lover would "stitch up detainees" himself to "take picture of his work," photos of tortured Iraqi prisoners were "shown to everyone who wanted to see them."

Read further under:

http://www.yellowtimes.org/article.php?sid=1954


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

1. 6. 2004

http://ecolog.twoday.net/stories/230421/

Während US-General über den Verlauf des Irakkriegs weiterhin seine Lügen verbreitet "Opfer sind ausschliesslich feindliche Kämpfer" berichtet ein Rekrut der US-Marines über seine Ausbildung.

"Every response was "kill", every chant we had, whether it was in line for the chow hall or PT was somehow involved with killing. (...) Constantly using the term "kill" as though it meant nothing was used to desensitize the recruits to the notion of killing and it's implications."

Aus einem der regelmäßig gesungenen Lieder:

"1, 2, 3, attack the chow hall (repeat) Kill the women, Kill the Children, Kill, Kill, Kill 'em All".

Auszug eines Briefes eines Marine-Rekruten an Chris White (Verfasser des Counterpunch-Artikels)

Mr. White,

On Sept. 9th I left for MCRD San Diego with hopes of becoming a United States Marine. [Soon enough] things just seemed to continue in a negative path. I was of course shocked by the continuous use of the word "fuck" from the drill instructors all the while large banners hung on the walls speaking of the "character" and "integrity" of the Marines.

The drill instructors made it clear that the enemy was not simply Iraq, or Osama Bin Laden, but more and more it was taking an anti-Islam tone. It was now "us" and "them". Anyone who wanted to attend the Islamic service on Sunday was either looked at strange or ridiculed. I attended an Islamic service on several occasions out of curiosity and the feeling among the other recruits there was much the same. One recruit, of Palestinian dissent, said that a drill instructor remarked how he'd like to kill "your people". Hearing this and hearing one of my own drill instructors describe how he'd killed a "rag-head" in the gulf war really started my absolute revulsion of this institution I'd signed up for.

Every response was "kill", every chant we had, whether it was in line for the chow hall or PT was somehow involved with killing. And not simply killing the enemy, we had one just standing in line for chow which was "1, 2, 3, attack the chow hall (repeat) Kill the women, Kill the Children, Kill, Kill, Kill 'em All". Constantly using the term "kill" as though it meant nothing was used to desensitize the recruits to the notion of killing and it's implications. On top of that, we watched some awful propaganda film which started out as a 9/11 memorial with music (proud to be an American), and pictures of the World Trade Center, then quickly switching to Afghanistan and combat footage whilst Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" blasted through the speakers. This happened much to the delight of my fellow recruits and was encouraged by the drill instructors.

(A former marine recruit, 2002)

http://links.net-hh.de/?lid=22164
http://www.counterpunch.org/white05292004.html


Informant: Gerhard Wendebourg

Urgent

http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/native_land_theft_underway.html

01.06.04

Manipuliert: Gentechnisch verändertes Soja verändert die Leberstruktur von Mäusen. Wie die Umweltorganisation GM-Watch berichtet, haben Forscher der italienischen Universität Urbino signifikante Modifikationen in einigen den Zellkern betreffenden Merkmalen nachgewiesen. Das Forscherteam habe nachweisen können, dass bei den Mäusen, die mit Gen-Soja gefüttert wurden, unregelmäßig geformte Zellkerne auftraten. Diese seien ein deutlicher Index für eine hohe Stoffwechselrate sowie eine höhere Anzahl nuklearer Poren, die intensiven Molekularaustausch anzeigten.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:

http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php4?Nr=8562

by Amy Worthington

From the May 2004 Idaho Observer

http://www.chemtrailcentral.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002111.html
[ http://www.proliberty.com/observer/20040501.htm ]


Informant: Laurel

Hi Klaus: It is so apt that the/our film “World Without Waves” is being launched in Russia. Here are another couple of reasons why this is so:

1. I have finished rereading Karl Maret, M.D., M.Eng, report of Dr. Yuri Grigoriev's presentation at a Kazkhstan conference on "Electromagnetic Fields and Human Health" (Sept. 4-12, 2003) which I will paste in below. Dr. Grigoriev's, as we know, is chairing the upcoming Sept. 2004 Moscow venued International Conference on Electromagnetic Fields and Human Health. You placed the announcement and details of this upcoming Russian conference, Klaus, right beside that of “World Without Waves” in your last group posting.

Please take particular note of these statements in Dr. Maret’s report of Dr. Grigoriev’s presentation:

"Many people in Russia are now electrosensitive, many from second-hand irradiation who don't even own these devices."

"He [Dr. Yuri Grigoriev] felt that EMF represented perhaps the greatest danger facing humanity at this time."

"He stressed the negative influence of cell phones and the irradiation patterns of the brain. He cautioned children from being exposed to these devices due to their greater absorption of EMFs."

"He talked about . . . how an international alliance is now forming to warn more people of these radiation problems. 42 countries now have reported in Geneva as part of WHO regarding non-ionizing radiation effects and an active need to fight the existing electropollution is now being recognised."


The following is excerpted (pp. 6-7, total 16) from "Report on the Travel to Almaty, Kazakhstan to attend the International Conference ‘Electromagnetic Fields and Human Health’ September 4-12, 2003 by Karl Maret, M.D., M.Eng. On behalf of National Foundation for Alternative Medicine Washington, DC.” Archived online at:
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/kazak.conf_electromagnetic_fields_and_human_health.doc

"2. Yuri Grigoriev : "EMF as a Risk Factor for the Population's Health (Current State of the Problem)”

He described the most scientific data of the conference reporting on Russian research with EMF exposure over the last 20 years. He stated that the former Soviet Union had done research for the last 50 years on the damaging effects of EMF exposure. He is part of the World Health Organization which is aware of the increasing EMF problems and 40 countries are working together to develop better standards for safe exposure. He reported both his personal views and those of the official Russian position on this topic.

He felt that EMF represented perhaps the greatest danger facing humanity at this time. Exposure of magnetic fields greater than 0.2 microTesla (2 milliGauss) at 50 Hz power line frequencies has definitely been shown to cause leukemia in populations. He showed how various devices commonly used exceed the safe magnetic exposure levels as shown in the table below:

[Request original pdf if you wish to see photos and graphs.]

Clearly many of our common household devices exceed the recommended magnetic field intensity at close range and many even at 1 foot distance. He also showed many graphs of the magnetic field distribution in room and offices showing especially the influence of computers and workstations on the increased EMF now being experienced.

He stressed the negative influence of cell phones and the irradiation patterns of the brain. He cautioned children from being exposed to these devices due to their greater absorption of EMFs. Many people in Russia are now electrosensitive, many from second-hand irradiation who don’t even own these devices. He mentioned the assessment procedures used for cell phones with phantoms used to ascertain absorption levels. He talked about the Salzburg meetings on Cell Towers and how an international alliance is now forming to warn more people of these radiation problems. 42 countries now have reported in Geneva as part of WHO regarding non-ionizing radiation effects and an active need to fight the existing electropollution is now being recognized.

He showed several very impressive slides on animal studies they had done to show the effect of EMFs on chick embryos. This data is shown below shows that there is a 50% mortality in chick embryos after 21 days of cell phone exposure compared to only 10% in control animals.

The radiation patterns from cell phones are also important and he showed data of the usage pattern throughout a typical day which clearly illustrates that we have different levels of electromagnetic microwave exposure at various times of the day. This data is reproduced below.

He also stressed the importance at looking at low frequency modulation patterns of microwave radiation because of the powerful biological effect this causes. Below is reproduced one of his slides showing the effect of low frequency modulated microwaves on isolated frog hearts. The microwave frequency used was 9.3 GigaHertz which is somewhere between a cell phone (in US around 2 GHz and a satellite TV signal 12 GHz). The modulation frequencies used were between 1-100 Hz and are similar to brain wave EEG frequencies (0.5 –30 Hz) and other biological signals. He also compared these modulated signals to continuous wave (CW) signals which were very much less effective in causing slowing of heart rate (bradycardia) or cardiac arrest. This research is very important because there has not been very much investigation of the impact of low frequency modulation of microwave signals. Every digital cellular telephone sends these type of low frequency data signals out continuously when making calls.

He mentioned the great danger confronting the present population with these cell phones since insufficient research had been done to date. To support the magnitude of the challenges facing us, he mentioned how widespread the use of cell phone technology has become. For example in Great Britain 56% of children now had cellular phones and 70% of German children in certain age ranges. He warned against putting cell towers near kindergardens. He emphasized the neurological effects and the reproductive impacts of EMFs. In Russia children younger than 16 years were told to avoid cell phones as well as all pregnant women.

He made numerous references to scientific studies and invited the Kazakhstan government to develop a good program of protection for its population."


2. I also reread this morning the paper “Theoretical and Experimental Evidences where Present Safety Standards Conflict with Reality” by Dr. Vladimir Binhi and M. Fillion-Robin published in “Electromagnetic Environments and Health in Buildings” pp. 391-403 (ed. Derek Clements-Croome, 2004; based on conference held in Royal College of Physicians, in May 2002). Dr. Binhi is Head of Radiobiology laboratory, General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences. This is what he writes in his introduction:

“ Both experimental findings and theoretical approaches indicate that EM fields--even when they are too weak to heat tissues--may result in a variety of different biological effects some useful and some probably noxious. In this article, we show that hyperweak fields--even of intensities very much less than those emitted by cell phones--affect biology; thus it cannot longer be maintained that cell phone radiation cannot cause harmful biological effects. Accordingly, existent Western EM safety standards afford a totally inadequate level of protection, unlike those in Eastern Europe (and in the Russian Federation in particular) which are much more stringent, having been developed with the benefit of experience with non-thermal biological effects rather than solely heating. Here we will discuss in more detail the inadequacy of thermally-based guidelines, and study a new theoretical approach via which electromagnetic biocompatibility might be realized.”

Best, Imelda, Cork

By SAM SMITH

May 30, 2004 -- EXCLUSIVE

A vicious skin infection resistant to all but the most powerful antibiotics has jumped out of New York City hospitals and onto the streets.

The "superbug," as health officials refer to it, can cause anything from reddening of the skin, to abscesses, tissue loss, amputation or even death in severe cases, doctors said.

For decades confined to hospitals, where it preyed on patients and built up immunity to antibiotics, the bug - known officially as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus or MRSA - has also grown in strength.

"Usually with infections you need a break in the skin to pass it," said Dr. Howard Grossman, who has a private practice in Chelsea.

"Not with this. It gets through unbroken skin with casual contact."

The city Department of Health first detected the infections outside hospitals early last year, according to health officials.

Doctors at some clinics, such as the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in Chelsea, are seeing one new case a week, compared with one every two months when the infection first cropped up last year.

"This is something we should be concerned about," said Dr. Dawn Harbatkin, the center's medical director.

Dr. Brian Saltzman of Beth Israel, who has just completed a study of the spread of MRSA outside hospitals, said, "We are seeing very impressive, very large, very difficult-to-treat skin abscesses."

The Department of Health is tracking the outbreak here but declined to provide the number of cases it has found.

Last month, Steven, who asked that his last name not be published, developed what he thought was a pimple on his leg, but it soon grew painful and larger.

Doctors lanced the boil that formed and began antibiotics, but the infection failed to respond and starting growing toward Steven's groin.

"The fact it wasn't responding [to drugs] and it was moving up that way was terrifying," he said. "It was eating up tissue."

After a lengthy hospital stay and five antibiotics - some administered intravenously and one, Zyvox, administered orally at $100 per tablet - the infection started to abate.

Doctors told Steven they believed he contracted it at the gym. Keith, who lives in West New York, N.J., has been battling MRSA for months, with the infection cropping up on his legs, then his face, then back on his legs. The doctor treating him says the infection has "colonized" inside him. He believes Keith contracted it from a friend.

In New York City hospitals, about 50 percent of infections are now resistant to some kind of antibiotic, as opposed to 10 percent a decade ago, according to several local infectious-disease specialists.

According to an Institute of Medicine report last year, 80,000 people die each year in the United States from hospital-acquired infections.

The city is not aware of anyone dying of MRSA acquired outside hospitals.

There are now three antibiotics left that can attack MRSA: vancomysin, daptomycin and linezolid. But those antibiotics are beginning to lose their potency against the bug.

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/24879.htm


Informant: NHNE